As is known, the transportation of delicate substances, such as, for example, foodstuffs but also and especially pharmaceutical products, has uncovered a plurality of problems which may result in the integrity of the items transported being put at risk. Indeed, the transport of perishables and delicate products such as, for example, drugs, medicines and substances that need to be handled and transported using secure, protected means offering insulation against the surrounding environment, requires particular containers, preferably made of polystyrene.
At present, the container—once the products are arranged therewithin—is closed with a lid and sealed with tape that closes up the gap between the container and the lid.
The tape used is standard adhesive tape which can be easily removed, therefore, it can happen that the contents are purloined (either entirely or in part, especially when such contents are drugs or precious substances) and the container closed again, with the tampering or theft only noticed when it reaches the recipient, resulting in great economic damage for the recipient and embarrassment for the logistics company handling the shipment.
Another drawback encountered stems from the fact that the adhesive tape is placed on the container manually, which means time is wasted during the management of shipments and shipment management costs are increased as result of the processing costs, comprising the costs of the adhesive tape and the cost of the worker designated to carry out this process.
Currently, the tape is classified as a non-recyclable material which must be disposed of separately from the container, which is—instead—totally recyclable. Moreover, it can happen that the tape does not always detach perfectly from the container when opened and pieces thereof remain attached, which means the container must also undergo separate disposal, resulting in the partial loss of material (because partly polluted) which would otherwise be usable.
In addition, it can happen that, when removing the tape, the polystyrene of the container is ruined and is no longer reusable and must be discarded.
In particular, when transporting drugs, a whole series of precautions and measures are required to ensure the drugs reach destination intact and in proper storage conditions.
Indeed, it is known that, as a rule, pharmaceutical manufacturers do not ship the drugs directly to their customers; instead, they use pharmaceutical logistics companies which, in turn, are divided into diverse levels, ending in the van that performs on-demand deliveries to individual pharmacies, hospitals, laboratories, etc.
In particular, a drug must be transported applying a whole series of measures and precautions so that it reaches its destination in perfect storage condition, with reference to both the packaging and the contents.
In fact, it is known that a drug which is damaged for various reasons, during the various handling phases, may lose all of its features, becoming an ineffective or even toxic drug, and therefore subject to claims from buyers (pharmacies, hospitals, etc.).
In addition, the drugs must be protected so that the packaging and preparations are not damaged or altered since these items are very expensive to prepare and their disposal (if necessary) is particularly onerous, since they are composed of highly polluting substances.
Finally, the drugs also have to be discarded when the packs are worn, dented, wet, etc., resulting in claims from buyers against the pharmaceutical logistics companies which handle the packing and transportation.
As mentioned previously, the strong need expressed by logistics companies, drug manufacturers, and recipients is to have a container which is sealed in a way which is both secure and at the same time easy and practical to open and close, as well as being not easily tampered with.
In fact, with the current sealing systems there is no certainty that a container cannot be purloined or tampered with, with the theft of the contents thereof, since the contents become accessible and removable by simply cutting or break the tape.